School-attendance check at LP Cebu event tagged as ‘immoral’

CEBU CITY—A businessman, who owns a university in Cebu City, finds it immoral to require students to attend a political gathering like last week’s Liberal Party (LP) event.

Lawyer Augusto Go, owner of University of Cebu (UC), was reacting to reports that some students, who were still in their school uniform, were required to attend the LP’s “Gathering of Friends” at Cebu Coliseum last Aug. 24.

Go, who also owned the coliseum, said the students did not come from his school because he didn’t issue any memorandum that required UC students to attend the event.

“Classes are more important than a political rally. Requiring them to attend such an activity is against the school policy. I will assure you 101 percent that we did not do that in our school,” Go said.

But he said he also would not stop the students from attending political gatherings because it was also important for students, who are voters, to know their candidates.

The school management would also not bar students from inviting politicians but with approval of the student body.

Go maintained that he was not allied with any political party but he allowed the LP to use the coliseum for free because a friend asked for it.

At least 30 uniformed students from another university complained that the Presidential Security Group (PSG) didn’t allow them to leave the coliseum past 3 p.m. on Aug. 24 even if they explained that they needed to be in school at 4 p.m. to take their exams.

Even senior citizens, who wanted to go out because they were hungry, were barred by PSG personnel who cited the protocol that no one would be allowed to enter or leave the premises until the President had left.

At that time, President Aquino was on stage with his anointed one, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, LP standard-bearer.

The event was meant to introduce Roxas to LP members and local officials in the Visayas.

Criminology students explained that they were told that the event would end at 3 p.m. but at that time, both Mr. Aquino and Roxas had yet to deliver their speeches.

They claimed that they went to the coliseum not to support the political party but because their attendance would be checked.

The students appealed to the PSG personnel to let them leave because they had to take a test at 4 p.m.

Their plea fell on deaf ears.

Another group of nautical students, who were also wearing uniforms, shared the same sentiments.

A nautical student said they went to the coliseum because they were told that they would receive freebies.

Salvacion Bueno, 74 and a resident of Barangay Mambaling in Cebu City, said she and her companion wanted to go home because they were hungry since no one gave them food inside the coliseum.

“I feel like fainting because I am so hungry,” said Bueno.

She said she was a supporter of Roxas, and a leader in their barangay claimed that snacks would be distributed during the event.

Some residents of Talisay City also wanted to go home but were told to return to their seats.

A female member of the PSG was visibly angry when she saw journalists interviewing some of those who wanted to leave.